Harry Potter and the Escape to the Veil
by RoxyKills
Summary: Harry Potter sat in his room, thinking he had nothing left. His friends seemed not to understand him, his godfather was dead. He was ready to give in to the darkness, until a letter came. One that would change his life forever. RWHG-DMHG. Romance, tears,
1. ONE

***************************** Ch. 1 *****************************  
  
It was approaching the first day of the school term and Harry Potter wasn't even happy. In fact he really didn't feel a thing. He hadn't felt much since... well, what happened just months before. He had, however, noticed his aunt and uncle had become quite awkward around each other since the incident last summer with the howler, and that neither had so much as looked at Harry. Dudley had taken to locking himself in his room for the entire day, and he had missed so much school that Smeltings had expelled him. Things in everyone's life seemed to be awful at number four, Privet Drive, Harry thought to himself that gloomy, overcast summer evening.  
  
Hedwig screeched loudly at the window, and Harry got up from the worn spot in his bed that had become the shape of his steadily maturing sixteen year old body. Wearily he unlatched the window to the outside world, allowing his snowy white owl Hedwig to swoop galiantly in. She perched gladly in her cage atop Harry's dresser, but only after dropping a peice of parchment on his bed. Harry glanced carelessley at the envelope, figuring it was from the school announcing the list of books and other necessities required for his sixth year at Hogwarts, and gasped at the familiar writing on the front of the envelope. Sirius.  
  
Normally Harry would have just been glad and opened the letter, happy to hear from his fugitive god father, but the circumstances made him pass out in shock. His uncle had died at the end of the last school term. When Harry came to he saw the letter still lying there, innocent as can be, atop his grungy bed covers. Harry got up from his resting spot on the floor next to his bed and with shaking hands took the letter into his hands.  
  
"Mr. Harry Potter, bedroom upstairs, number four Privet Drive...etc" Harry read the address over and over, making sure it was actually Sirius' handwriting, and turned the envelope over nervously. He tore the flap carefully and lifted it, revealing worn parchment paper inside. He pulled out the letter and set the envelope down on his bed, turning the letter around in his hands, then ever so carefully opening it, heart pounding.  
  
"Dear Harry, I'm suprised you cared that much! Stop beating yourself up, Harry, I'm not really gone, but I can't tell you much else except that I will be watching you like I did that night so long ago at Privet Drive. I will see you again when I arrive at the cave on the second trip. Bring Ron and Hermione, but don't tell them what is going on... They'll tell Dumbledore and we can't have that right now. I'll see you soon, god son!  
  
Love,  
  
Fluffy" 


	2. TWO

***************************** Ch. 2 *****************************  
  
Harry felt as though the weight of the world had been lifted off of his shoulders. He wasn't really gone, Sirius was alive, and was coming to see Harry soon! This was one of the best days in his life, Harry thought happily to himself. His entire outlook changed. Instead of being dark and gloomy, he was happy, and readily anticipating the start of term. He would be able to look at Dumbledore, knowing in the back of his mind that he, Harry, knew something big that Dumbledore didn't. This was wonderful. Harry rushed about madly, humming a song gleefully, throwing huge bundles of school homework assignments and quills along with his robes into his trunk, then setting his wand carefull next to his Firebolt broom on top of the now closed trunk.  
  
A few days later the letter from Hogwarts arrived, telling him he would need a whole new array of books this year. That same day Hedwig returned to Harry's window with a bunch of parcels and letters clutched in her claws. Slightly confused, Harry opened his window and took the mail from his owl's grasped claws. Looking through the lot, Harry noticed he'd received late birthday presents and letters from Ron, Hermione, Hagrid, and Lupin. He ripped open the first one his hands found, Hermione's letter and gift.  
  
"Dear Harry, I hope all is well, sorry about the delay on the gift, I was detained here...and well, I'll see you very soon! I wish you the Happiest of Birthdays!!  
  
Love, Hermione"  
  
"See you soon?" Harry muttered, trying to figure out what she meant, then figured it didn't matter because everything was wonderful after Sirius' letter. Next he opened her gift, which made Harry even more puzzled yet. He peered down at a vial of orangey-red potion. What could this be, he thought. A small peice of paper read, "Don't open until midnight tonight, then drink it and fly north until you see." Would she ever tell him what she was up to? What did she mean, fly? Harry pondered for quite some time till a shrill cry from Hedwig brought him to open the next letter.  
  
"Dear Harry, Things have gone crazy, but everything is great, I can explain more when I see you. Things don't make sense to you right now, but I know how you feel, mate. Lupin sent me the same letter he's probably sending you and I about went mad trying to figure out what the bloody hell it all meant. Hermione's sending you something you'll need tonight, it's disgusting, but it works. You'll figure it all out tonight, I promise. Ok, enjoy the sweets! See you soon, and Happy Birthday!  
  
Love, Ron"  
  
Ron's letter made Harry feel somewhat better, besides the part that said the potion was disgusting, that made him nervous. He opened the gift his best friend had sent him, chuckling at the great array of sweets in the small box. Ron had clearly wanted to cheer Harry up after seeing him so depressed at the end of the last school term. Harry had really blown off everyone he cared for after Sirius' "death". Harry set down the box of sweets and picked up Hagrid's letter, carefully scanning the messy writing.  
  
"Dear Harry, Glad to think of seeing you soon, I hope things are going somewhat better for you. You really do get rough breaks, but everything will be fine now, I mean it. Best wishes and good luck on your journey to Hogwarts! Happy Birthday Harry."  
  
He tore the ruddy brown paper off of the gift Hagrid sent and opened the box to reveal a bundle of treacle tarts and a letter that looked frayed around the edges of the old envelope. On the front in unfamiliar and beautiful writing was Harry's name. A second letter and a note from Hagrid were underneath it. The second letter had even more unfamiliar writing on it that was alot like Sirius', yet different. This also said his name on the front. The note from Hagrid was written, if possible even messier than his usual scrawl.  
  
"Harry, these letters are from Lily and James. They entrusted me with them a month before they died, I think they knew something... Sorry that I never told you 'bout the letters before, but I promised I wouldn't let you know until your sixteenth birthday." 


	3. THREE

******************** Ch. 3 ********************  
  
Hands shaking, Harry reached for the first envelope he'd come upon when he opened the box. Ever so carefully, Harry opened the envelope and took out the letter. It was from his mother.  
  
"My Dearest Harry,  
  
I am so very sorry that you ever had to receive this letter. I left you alone...so young! I wish so many good things for you, my darling boy. And, if you have love staring you in the face, don't hesitate. Even though your father and I quarreled constantly in school, we still both knew we loved eachother from the moment we met. This is what I want most in life for you, love, and happiness. You deserve it, sweetheart. I just really want you to know how much I love you, and I will always be there for you when you need me. I will love you forever, darling. Be happy, fall in love, and never forget what I told you. Tell anyone you think needs to hear it, a wise person once told it to me! Love always dear, farewell.  
  
Love Always and Forever,  
  
Your Mother"  
  
Harry had tears flowing steadily down his handsome face. He had, for so long wanted to hear something from her, his mother, that she had meant for him to hear only, not just stories about her from random people she knew in her life. He sat there, staring at the paper, almost sad, like his mother was suddenly alot more real to him. Reading a letter she had written sixteen years ago, realizing she had touched the very parchment he held in his hands, this all made him so sad, that he never met the woman, never got to hear these words directly from her. Harry realized there was nothing he could really do about it and picked up the second letter. Harry suddenly realized why the writing looked like Sirius' handwriting, they were best friends, they were bound to pick up on eachother's writing a little.  
  
"Dear Son, Harry, you need to know that I loved you and your mother more than anything in the world, and nothing could ever change that. I wish the best for you in life, and knowing the people who care for you now, you'll be surrounded by people that love you if something happens to leave you without your mother and I. You're strong, and intelligent, which you've already shown to us as a baby. I can only imagine the trouble you'll get into at Hogwarts, and I encourage you! Live life when your young, for responsibilities will flood you when you leave the school as an adult once and for all. Just remember, friends are the most important thing in your life besides family, and never take them for advantage. As far as girls go, I found your mother in Hogwarts, when I was young. I was lucky! But, strangely enough I can already see similarities in you that are so much like myself. I lost my parents at a very young age, and I see that looming unfortunatly in the near future of this time that I write this to you. You should know when you meet the one girl (or woman) you will love for the rest of your life. She will stand out to you, and make all other girls seem over rated. Don't blow it, Harry, I almost did with your mother when we were school kids. Be strong, and never let the good in you fade. Good bye, and I love you!  
  
Love and Best Wishes,  
  
Your Father"  
  
Harry couldn't control his tears. He felt somewhat complete at reading the letters, Harry had needed to hear what his parents had wanted him to hear. He felt loved so very deeply that he was in quite a daze, laying on his bed until he looked over at his clock and saw it was 11:45pm. He had fifteen minutes to get his belonging's together and drink the potion. Just then a small owl named Pig rapped madly on his window, clearly overjoyed at finding the right window. Harry hurried to the window and opened it once more, allowing the bird to flutter in and drop a note on his nightstand. But, this time, instead of staying to steal Hedwigs food as he usually did, he disapeared noislessly into the dark air outside Harry's window and was gone. 


	4. FOUR

********************* Ch 4 *********************  
  
Clearly rushed for time, Harry picked up the parchment and read Hermione's writing on it, "Harry, Lupin's letter! Don't forget to open it! We have a spell cast on it that alerts us when and where it has been opened, and you forgot it!" Startled, he tore open Lupin's letter and read the crooked scrawl.  
  
"Dear Harry, Can't talk much. Leave your things, set Hedwig by your OPEN window before you drink the potion, and be sure to leave your wand on the bed next to you before drinking the potion. Good luck, and HURRY! Midnight, fly north, see the light, land. Leave EVERYTHING behind except your wand. Hedwig will give you further instructions once you've changed.  
  
Lupin"  
  
Harry gaped confusedly at the letter. Everyone is mad, he thought. Stark raving mad. But, completely and totally curious as to what on earth was going on, Harry did as he was told and sat on his bed, his wand next to him on his bed, potion in hand, with Hedwig perched patiently on his window sill. Harry cast a longing look at the letters from his parents, stuck them carefully under his pillow, and looked nervously at the clock. Ten seconds to go now... five...two... NOW he thought! Harry gulped the potion and realized why Ron had said it was disgusting. Not only did it taste horrible, it made his whole body twitch, and made it feel as though spiders were crawling all over his skin. It was the same sort of experience he'd had with something else before, Harry thought. A potion long ago... but he had no time to think now, he went to stand up and realized everything was different, he had wings...and feathers!  
  
"Come on, dear! Well, don't be a git, fly over here! And don't forget your wand!" Harry's heart leapt. Had he just heard Hedwig talk? No time to ponder, he supposed, something told him he was pressed for time. "Alright now, Harry, I'll only fly with you until you've gotten used to it, then I'm off to return and guard your belongings. Everyone is waiting for you, just look out for the light, you won't have to make an effort really, you'll be drawn to it. Good luck, and we're off!" With a gentle nudge Hedwig pushed Harry off the window sill. It was a reflex, really. Harry was a natural flyer, the wind lifted him off of the ground steadily higher until the houses below him looked like toys. "You make a handsome owl, Harry." Hedwig looked in his direction and cooed. "I just want to tell you while I still can that you are a wonderful owner, and I wish you luck in the world, you have treated me well. Good luck, and see you when your human again!" Harry chortled. That was odd, he thought. It was weird talking to his pet and having her talk back. He saw her fly back towards the window he had so often stared hopefully out of, then suddenly he felt an invisible force pulling him towards the ground, towards a soft light below.  
  
When he landed on a patch of moist soil he looked at his surroundings and realized where he must be. "Harry, is that you?" His heart leapt as Harry saw Hermione running towards him, looking left and right as though she could be attacked at any moment. Harry stopped looking at her as he realized his stomach was turning again, and his skin was crawling once more. "Wow that was fast!" Hermione frowned at Harry's familiar face. "Come along, Harry. I must have done a horrible job, if it wore off that quickly. Ron's waiting inside." Harry laughed happily under his breath. Hermione was rambling for the first time since he had known her. 


	5. FIVE

************************ Ch 5 ************************  
  
"HARRY!!!" Ron bellowed at Harry with his newly changed voice, even deeper than last year. He grinned ecstatically at Harry and threw his arm around his shoulder. "I've got loads to tell you!" Ron stopped suddenly as Hermione trod on his foot and gave him a reprimanding glare. "Ok maybe later. Don't want to uspset the woman." Harry laughed as Hermione went red in the face and stormed off. Harry suddenly realized they were inside a very large tent, much larger than the ones he had stayed in at the Quidditch Cup so long before. There appeared to be three bedrooms and a kitchen in this one, and it lacked the stench of cat litter.  
  
"Is this... did I... Are we where I used to live?" Harry blurted out what he had been wondering since he first landed a short while before. Ron looked suddenly solemn, "Yeah I reckon it is, mate. Sorry bout that but it was the only place we could find near your aunt and uncle's place that was unused. No one ever comes up here anymore, after what happened." They both sat in silence and Harry broke the quiet awkwardness moments later. "Where's Lupin?" Before Ron could answer a tall figure emerged from the doorway to the room on the far left. "I'm right here." Harry jumped and smiled at Lupin's worn face. He looked better than usual, and far better than the last time Harry had seen him.  
  
"A minute, Ron? I think that Harry and I have a few things to sort out." Ron nodded and headed to the door in the middle. When the door closed behind Ron, Lupin spoke quite abruptly. "Harry, we all know about Sirius. We didn't know until breifly before we wrote to you, because it took quite some time for his letter to reach me, and when it did it took me an equally long time to understand what was going on." Harry looked completely confused. "What exactly is going on?" Lupin smiled softly. "Sirius didn't die, Harry, Tonks did." Harry looked aghast. "But wait, if Tonks was the one that died, how did Sirius pull off the changing thing, Tonks is -er was- a Metamorphmagus. She even changed forms afterwards...HOW?" Lupin looked exausted, but he had obviously expected Harry's endless questioning. "Polyjuice potion and a hair changing spell, Harry. All 'Tonks' did was change hair colors before seeing you at King's Cross. She had agreed secretly to change places with Sirius, donating a great deal of hair and polyjuice to Sirius, she then must have secretly used her special ability to change into the likeness of your godfather, and he drank the potion. They did this for reason's I am not currently aware of, but all I know if Tonks is the one that died that day, not Sirius. He proved it was trully him by telling me something only he knew about me, something I entrusted to his secret knowledge a long time ago. This is what happened, Harry." 


	6. SIX

********************************* Ch 6 *********************************  
  
After talking a bit more with Lupin, Harry asked where he was to stay that night and Lupin pointed to the door Ron had gone into. Harry bidded Lupin goodnight, and entered the room where his friend had been waiting. "So he told you everything right? Bloody hell, I thought, they did all that without telling you! I would be furious, Harry. I'd be bloody fuming." Harry grinned at Ron's nervous face. "I'm happy. It's a little sad that Tonks had to die, but I have Sirius. Everything is wonderful. And I got letters from my parents, Ron! My parents!" clearly puzzled, Ron looked at Harry like he was insane. "Harry, are you mad? You can't tell me your parents are alive, can you?" Harry burst into hysteric laughter at the look on Ron's face. "No no no, they wrote the letters before they died, so I could read what they had to say years later... they must of realized that somthing was going to happen..." They both sat in silence, and then Ron spoke up.  
  
"Hermione drives me mad, Harry." Ron looked over at his friend and sighed. "One minute I think I might just... and well, then she does something infuriating and I just want to... I just wish she would lay off me sometimes..." Harry gave Ron a sypathetic look, then heard his mother's voice in his head, "tell anyone you think needs to hear it..." Harry looked up, how could he be so oblivious? "Ron, you love her." His friends face twisted in shock. "What are you talking about? Love Hermione? You're mad!" Harry was detirmined. "Tell me the truth. You care about Hermione more than just a friend, you always have! You faced spiders, giant trolls, and loads of other things you hate for her, and you look at her somtimes - I have seen you - like I used to look at Cho." Ron's ears went crimson. "W-w-what made you burst out like that mate? How do you get off...oh alright...I do like her, I suppose... but, l-l-love? I dunno Harry, thats a bit strong..." Harry sighed. At least he had gotten somthing out of Ron, he'd admitted that he did like Hermione.  
  
That night they both lay in their beds across the room from eachother, talking back and fourth here and there, until a terrified scream from the next room over made both Ron and Harry jump from their beds. "RON!!!!" Hermione's shivering form appeared in the doorway closest to Ron's bed. She had on a thick night gown and her hair was tied back in a loose ponytail. She hurried across the room and threw her arms around Ron's neck, still shaking terribly, and now sobbing. "I th-th-thought you were dead!" Ron looked over her shoulder, giving a mixed look of confusion, and happiness that Hermione's arms were around his neck. "I'm so glad you're okay! Oh it was awful! Ron I want to tell you something I-" She stopped talking and glanced at Harry standing there. "Harry, could you not be in here for a minute?" Ron looked at Harry, anxious to be alone with Hermione, he scolded his friend, "Bugger off mate, please?" Harry chuckled and scurried to the door, a bit disappointed at not being able to witness this. 


	7. SEVEN

*********************** Ch 7 ***********************  
  
Harry grinned and turned for the door, startled to see a gruff body hovering in the doorway. "Everything all right here, Harry? I went straight to Hermione's room when I heard her scream and she wasn't there. Oh, there she is glad to see shes okay. I'll just...er...g'nite!" With that Lupin left, red in the face from barging in on this affectionate moment. Harry snicked and walked out of the room after Lupin and shut the door behind himself. Meanwhile, Hermione and Ron had separated from their embrace and were now just face to face, standing in the middle of the dimly lit room.  
  
"Ron, I want you to know this, and I'm terrified that it will ruin our friendship... but I just can't keep it from you anymore, not after realizing I could lose you and never be able to tell you. I care about you... not like a friend thing, a boyfriend thing... I don't know if you feel the same way but-" Ron interrupted Hermione's nervous wisper by kissing her on the lips. They sat there like that, kissing, for a few minutes before Harry opened the door, peering inside. "Hey guys are you done talk-" Harry stopped, a bit shocked at seeing his two best friends in a lip-lock. "I'm gonna just go back outside now..." Harry turned grinning for the kitchen and Hermione spoke up. "Hehe..erm, I'll just be getting to bed now, anyways, I'll see you in the morning?" She smiled at Ron, then waved at Harry embarrassed and retreated to her room.  
  
When Hermione was gone, Harry burst into laughter. "Well Ron, I guess my speech earlier wasn't needed! That was sudden... I'm glad you two finally went for it, it's been ridiculous between you two for a long time!" Harry wondered why Ron wasn't talking and he looked over to see Ron still standing there, staring at the door, beaming from ear to ear. Harry chuckled and turned in his bed to fall into a deep sleep. The world seemed almost perfect. For once.  
  
The next morning Harry awoke quite late. Ron was gone from their room and Harry expected he was in the kitchen eating breakfast, so he went in search of his friend. When Harry got into the kitchen he spotted Lupin, but the room lacked both his young friends. "Where are-" Lupin didn't need to hear the rest of Harry's sentance, he cut in explaining that Ron and Hermione were off getting his things. Harry stared at Lupin gaping, trying to figure out how they were going to get all the way to Privet drive and bring his heavy trunk all the way back. Lupin seemed to be up to reading minds that morining. "They've enlisted the help of a luggage trolley, and they mentioned something about a Fluffy dog. Strange, but well, you might no what that means, I certainly don't..." Lupin smiled as though he knew but was waiting to see Harry's reaction. He certainly did, he saw Harry all but burst into tears of joy.  
"Sirius?! He's coming here?! But...but, he told me he wasn't going to until...Sirius?! I can't beleive it!!" Lupin was smiling so broadly that his sudden try in concealing his happiness to see Harry so glad was not much use. "I must tell you that I'm not thrilled at this, but he is using an invisibility cloak, so it should be fairly safe. I just hope no one sees him." Harry couldn't care less about all of the worries in the world, he was so happy at the thought of seeing his god father that everything else seemed trivial to him. He sat down at the table and stayed like that for at least an hour before anything happened. Then finally he heard voices in the distance. He hurried outside and stood craning his head like his Aunt Petunia did over the fence to see their neighbors, except Harry was looking for a dog named Fluffy.  
  
"Hermione, I'm telling you, he's going to be suprised. I'm sure Lupin didn't tell him. I just hope he's not outside... oh bloody brilliant, now the suprise is ruined, Lupin blabbed... HI HARRY!" Ron waved to Harry, and as they got closer Harry saw what he was hoping for, a huge black dog called Fluffy. It was Sirius' animagus form. Harry sprinted toward his god father, wishing that this day would last forever, and that nothing would change.  
After a particularly long embrace Harry let go of the big black fluffy dog that was the animagus version of his god father. "I thought you died... Why didn't you tell me?" Sirius groaned faintly. "Right then, I'll wait until we get inside..." The four of them walked inside, lugging Harry's trunk and Hedwig's cage along with them. "If you don't mind, Hermione and me are going for a stroll..." Ron winked at Harry and Hermione rolled her eyes mockingly. Harry laughed and nodded.  
  
*********************************** A/N: I'm not finished yet! I just want to know if anyone's reading this. More to come! You'll be shocked! And my beloved Draco will CERTAINLY be making an appearance quite soon! 


	8. EIGHT

"So. why?" Harry sat at the small kitchen table facing the now human form of his godfather, Sirius Black, looking at him inquisitively. Sirius sighed uncomfortably and shifted his weight back further in the chair, looking at his sixteen year old godson nervously. "Harry. there are certain things. oh good grief. Harry, I had something I had to do, and I couldn't be there for the second half of the fight. Tonks stepped in, and I left." Harry looked at him, still confused beyond belief. "I don't understand, I saw you-as Tonks- there that night. you were there!!" Sirius put a rough hand to his own forehead, trying to relieve the headache he knew was going to result from this difficult conversation. "Harry, I'm here, alright? Can that just be enough for right now? Things are. complicated." He looked at his godson with a mixed gaze of hopefulness, angst, and frustration. Harry sighed, shrugged, and stood up. "Alright, I s'pose, but tell me this- why now? Why did you wait so long to tell me you were alive?" Sirius sighed in reply, and stood up as well, turning towards the stove where he was boiling several eggs. "You were being watched." Harry's eyebrows raised, and he walked towards his godfather and stopped a few inches from him. "By who, exactly?" Sirius stayed facing away from Harry, almost as if hiding his face for fear of his godson seeing his expression, and he spoke. but in a voice not his own. "Voldemort." Harry dropped the glass he held in his hands, a searing pain shooting across his forehead, as his godfather turned slowly around to reveal his changed face. the face, of Lord Voldemort himself.  
  
A/N: Sorry to leave you all hanging again!! I am in web design class currently and I can't type anymore here, bell's about to ring in a few. but I'll write loads more when I get home, alright? Check back in tonite or tomorrow!! 


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